Find the top rated trails in Rocky River, whether you're looking an easy walking path or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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The North Coast Inland Trail is a series of trails across multiple northern Ohio counties that, as they expand and connect, are emerging as an impressive long-distance trail between Cleveland and...
The Olde Muskingum Trail parallels the Tuscarawas River and the Ohio & Erie Canalway between Cherry Street in Canal Fulton and Forty Corners Road just north of Massillon. The 6-mile scenic trail has a...
The Maple Highlands Trail consists of 3 separate segments totaling more than 18 miles. A majority of the trail follows an abandoned Baltimore & Ohio Railroad corridor through a mostly rural landscape,...
The Brecksville Reservation All Purpose Trail offers a pleasant paved pathway connecting the community of Brecksville with the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail, a well-loved 81-mile route from...
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The North Coast Inland Trail will one day stretch across northern Ohio from Indiana to Pennsylvania on a network of connecting off-road trails. Today, large sections of the trail, especially from the...
The Chippewa Rail Trail runs for 2.4 miles between Chippewa Road (SR 50) in Chippewa Lake to suburban Wycliffe Drive southwest of Medina (Lafayette Township). The trail is mostly rural in feel,...
When completed, the Cleveland Foundation Centennial Trail will make a critical connection between Cleveland's downtown neighborhoods and the vast Lake Erie. As of August 2015, the first phase of the...
Cleveland Metroparks’ Lake to Lake Trail links Lake Isaac and Lake Abram in Middleburg Heights via an asphalt- and boardwalk-surfaced path. The two lakes are the largest remaining glacial wetlands in...
The short North Olmsted Walking & Bike Trail parallels Interstate 480 and provides an alternate, non-motorized route linking neighborhoods with green spaces and business districts.
Big Creek Reservation All Purpose Trail provides a paved pathway connecting the Mill Stream Run Reservation, Big Creek Reservation, and the Fern Hill Picnic Area. At its southern end, you can connect...
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Northern Ohio's Freedom Trail currently offers more than 8 miles of tree-lined pathway along the former Freedom Secondary Railroad. From Eastwood Avenue in eastern Akron, the paved trail follows a...
The Portage Hike and Bike Trail stretches nearly 10 miles between Kent and Ravenna, about 40 miles southeast of Cleveland and the southern shores of Lake Erie. As of December 2015, its entire length...
The bucolic Headwaters Trail is a pleasant 8-mile journey through the rural landscape between Mantua and Garrettsville. The path has a crushed-stone surface and is mostly shaded. It follows the route...
The Chippewa Inlet Trail runs for nearly 4 miles between Lafayette Road/State Route 42 and the Chippewa Nature Area. The trail traverses an open, pastoral landscape along the Chippewa Inlet, which...
The Cleveland Lakefront Bikeway extends 17 miles along the city's Lake Erie shoreline, between the suburbs of Euclid and Lakewood. The bikeway has on-road sections, and the route is signed. The...
The Huron River Greenway MetroPark Trail has two separate segments, each just under 1 mile long. The northern (Huron) segment runs from DuPont Marsh State Nature Preserve off River Road and heads...
The Harrison-Dillard Bikeway is a north-south urban path that not only connects the Lake Erie shoreline with the University Circle district, but connects trail users with Cleveland’s cultural past....
The Lake Metroparks Greenway Corridor runs for more than 5 miles through Painesville, Painesville Township and Concord Township. The elevation rises a little more than 200 feet from Painesville (north...
Following a portion of the former Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad corridor, the Sippo Valley Trail spans 10 miles between Dalton and Massillon in northwestern Ohio, presenting a mix of rolling farmland,...
The Steel Mill Trail is a 2-mile continuation of the Bridgeway Trail, which lies within the Black River Reservation, a scenic wooded park in Lorain. The Steel Mill Trail picks up at the north end of...
Cleveland Metroparks’ Lake to Lake Trail links Lake Isaac and Lake Abram in Middleburg Heights via an asphalt- and boardwalk-surfaced path. The two lakes are the largest remaining glacial wetlands in...
The Harrison-Dillard Bikeway is a north-south urban path that not only connects the Lake Erie shoreline with the University Circle district, but connects trail users with Cleveland’s cultural past....
The Brecksville Reservation All Purpose Trail offers a pleasant paved pathway connecting the community of Brecksville with the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail, a well-loved 81-mile route from...
For nearly 9 miles, the Mill Stream Run Reservation All Purpose Trail runs through a wooded park in Berea, a western suburb of Cleveland. Though the trail loosely parallels Valley Parkway, you will...
Big Creek Reservation All Purpose Trail provides a paved pathway connecting the Mill Stream Run Reservation, Big Creek Reservation, and the Fern Hill Picnic Area. At its southern end, you can connect...
The bucolic Headwaters Trail is a pleasant 8-mile journey through the rural landscape between Mantua and Garrettsville. The path has a crushed-stone surface and is mostly shaded. It follows the route...
The North Coast Inland Trail will one day stretch across northern Ohio from Indiana to Pennsylvania on a network of connecting off-road trails. Today, large sections of the trail, especially from the...
The Chippewa Inlet Trail runs for nearly 4 miles between Lafayette Road/State Route 42 and the Chippewa Nature Area. The trail traverses an open, pastoral landscape along the Chippewa Inlet, which...
The Lester Rail Trail in Ohio's Medina County runs 3 miles between Abbeyville Road and Lester Road in York Township. The trail passes through bucolic farmland with scattered remnants of prairie, where...
The Portage Hike and Bike Trail stretches nearly 10 miles between Kent and Ravenna, about 40 miles southeast of Cleveland and the southern shores of Lake Erie. As of December 2015, its entire length...
When completed, the Cleveland Foundation Centennial Trail will make a critical connection between Cleveland's downtown neighborhoods and the vast Lake Erie. As of August 2015, the first phase of the...
The Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail is an amazing trail journey that takes users from the heart of this country’s industrial might in cities like Cleveland and Akron, to some of the most beautiful...
The Maple Highlands Trail consists of 3 separate segments totaling more than 18 miles. A majority of the trail follows an abandoned Baltimore & Ohio Railroad corridor through a mostly rural landscape,...
The Huron River Greenway MetroPark Trail has two separate segments, each just under 1 mile long. The northern (Huron) segment runs from DuPont Marsh State Nature Preserve off River Road and heads...
The Steel Mill Trail is a 2-mile continuation of the Bridgeway Trail, which lies within the Black River Reservation, a scenic wooded park in Lorain. The Steel Mill Trail picks up at the north end of...
The Gates Mills Interurban Bridge, known locally as simply The Walking Bridge, offers a pedestrian-only route over the scenic Chagrin River. The steel truss bridge was built in 1899 for the Eastern...
Northern Ohio's Freedom Trail currently offers more than 8 miles of tree-lined pathway along the former Freedom Secondary Railroad. From Eastwood Avenue in eastern Akron, the paved trail follows a...
Though not far from two of Ohio’s largest cities, Cleveland and Akron, the Bike and Hike Trail passes alongside beautiful natural areas, including the 65-foot Brandywine Falls, a stunning cascading...
The Brideway Trail is found within the Black River Reservation, a park in Lorain County, where you can walk, jog, inline skate, cross-country ski or bike. The trail runs between Day's Dam in Lorain...
The North Coast Inland Trail is a series of trails across multiple northern Ohio counties that, as they expand and connect, are emerging as an impressive long-distance trail between Cleveland and...
The Maple Highlands Trail consists of 3 separate segments totaling more than 18 miles. A majority of the trail follows an abandoned Baltimore & Ohio Railroad corridor through a mostly rural landscape,...
The Morgana Run Trail runs on a former Wheeling and Lake Erie Railway corridor through Cleveland’s historic Slavic Village neighborhood. The paved rail-trail connects residents to Cleveland...
The Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail is an amazing trail journey that takes users from the heart of this country’s industrial might in cities like Cleveland and Akron, to some of the most beautiful...
The Brideway Trail is found within the Black River Reservation, a park in Lorain County, where you can walk, jog, inline skate, cross-country ski or bike. The trail runs between Day's Dam in Lorain...
The Huron River Greenway MetroPark Trail has two separate segments, each just under 1 mile long. The northern (Huron) segment runs from DuPont Marsh State Nature Preserve off River Road and heads...
The Newton Falls Trail, built on a former railroad bed, follows the Mahoning River as it winds its way downtown. The route provides pleasant neighborhood views of the quaint township that was...
The Steel Mill Trail is a 2-mile continuation of the Bridgeway Trail, which lies within the Black River Reservation, a scenic wooded park in Lorain. The Steel Mill Trail picks up at the north end of...
Following a portion of the former Wheeling & Lake Erie Railroad corridor, the Sippo Valley Trail spans 10 miles between Dalton and Massillon in northwestern Ohio, presenting a mix of rolling farmland,...
The Lester Rail Trail in Ohio's Medina County runs 3 miles between Abbeyville Road and Lester Road in York Township. The trail passes through bucolic farmland with scattered remnants of prairie, where...
The Brecksville Reservation All Purpose Trail offers a pleasant paved pathway connecting the community of Brecksville with the Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath Trail, a well-loved 81-mile route from...
The short North Olmsted Walking & Bike Trail parallels Interstate 480 and provides an alternate, non-motorized route linking neighborhoods with green spaces and business districts.
Northern Ohio's Freedom Trail currently offers more than 8 miles of tree-lined pathway along the former Freedom Secondary Railroad. From Eastwood Avenue in eastern Akron, the paved trail follows a...
The Portage Hike and Bike Trail stretches nearly 10 miles between Kent and Ravenna, about 40 miles southeast of Cleveland and the southern shores of Lake Erie. As of December 2015, its entire length...
The Lake Metroparks Greenway Corridor runs for more than 5 miles through Painesville, Painesville Township and Concord Township. The elevation rises a little more than 200 feet from Painesville (north...
The Harrison-Dillard Bikeway is a north-south urban path that not only connects the Lake Erie shoreline with the University Circle district, but connects trail users with Cleveland’s cultural past....
The Chippewa Inlet Trail runs for nearly 4 miles between Lafayette Road/State Route 42 and the Chippewa Nature Area. The trail traverses an open, pastoral landscape along the Chippewa Inlet, which...
The Rocky River Reservation All Purpose Trail parallels Valley Parkway through several western suburbs of Cleveland, but this is no traditional suburban side path. Instead, the winding trail through...
Cleveland Metroparks’ Lake to Lake Trail links Lake Isaac and Lake Abram in Middleburg Heights via an asphalt- and boardwalk-surfaced path. The two lakes are the largest remaining glacial wetlands in...
The Ohio to Erie Trail is a colossal project, not just for the state of Ohio but also nationally. Dreamed up more than 25 years ago, this route will eventually connect the Ohio River in Cincinnati to...
The Cleveland Lakefront Bikeway extends 17 miles along the city's Lake Erie shoreline, between the suburbs of Euclid and Lakewood. The bikeway has on-road sections, and the route is signed. The...
This trail is part of the Ohio To Erie Trail Route and spans the distance between Dalton and Massillon, Ohio. It is paved on both ends with a 3 mile section of crushed gravel surface in the middle. The signage on the trail is excellent giving the rider names of road crossings and the distances to the next crossing. The trail is mostly flat with just a few short steep climbs near Massillon. The views consist mostly of well maintained local farms but as the leaves fill in on the trees in the spring I'm not certain how much a rider will be able to see of these. If you are planning to ride the Ohio to Erie route then you'll obviously experience this trail, otherwise it is not one that is a must ride.
May 1 was a beautiful evening so after work I rode from Vanderhoof Rd to Forty Corners. The section between Butterbridge Rd (south of Canal Fulton) to Forty Corners was pretty rugged after a hard winter/spring. Lots of washouts and craters so ride a little slower and keep your eyes on the trail. As an alternative ride the Olde Muskingum Trail on the west side. It can be accessed by crossing over the river on Cherry St in Canal Fulton or over the Forty Corners Bridge (now just pedestrians and cyclists) or in the middle on Butterbridge Rd.
I rode this trail in July of 2017. The description here at TrailLink needs to be updated to reflect the opening of the half mile section of this trail known as the Lake Link.
I started with the northern section of this trail. I parked on Main Street on the West Bank of the Flats and road down Mulberry Street to River Road and then east to Elm Avenue. Where River and Elm meet the Willow Avenue Bridge crosses the Old Cuyahoga River Channel onto Whiskey Island. According to a June 7th Cleveland.com article, when this route is completed there will be an additional bicycle/pedestrian bridge built that will carry people over the very active Northfolk & Southern rail line and sidings into Wendy Park and the old Cleveland U.S. Coast Guard Station. Unfortunately, at this time this bridge does not exist.
The current Lake Link portion of the Cleveland Foundation Centennial Trail ends on River Road and runs south in a trench that once was a rail spur that ran down the center of the blocks between Mulberry Avenue and Center Street. The this section ends in about a half a mile when it reaches Detroit Avenue.
You can connect the Lake Link and the current southern section of the Cleveland Foundation Centennial Trail by riding on a closed section of roadway called Riverbed Street. It has a barrier near Columbus Road which prevents cars from using it. Riverbed Street follows a curve in the Cuyahoga River known as Irishtown Bend. This section was kind of creepy as it is overgrown with trees and shrubs and kudzu. What really makes it creepy is the sleeping bags you see just off the road that the homeless use to bed down. Since the road isn't used they probably don't get hassled too much in this area. When the groups developing the connecting of the towpath to the lake get to developing this missing section they will have to do some serious landscaping to open up the area to allow riders to see the river and to remove the ability for the homeless to hide. I did not encounter any homeless folks as I rode through but I came through in the middle of the afternoon on a weekday. At this point, I'd say consider how comfortable you are with this situation.
What I really enjoyed with this trail was the architecture of bridges, buildings, and the combinations of old with new, of commerce and industry, and of nature and human endeavor. I can see riding this trail many different times as the the scenery will change drastically with changes in light and weather.
I rode the Cleveland Lakefront Bikeway in June 2017 as a nice out-and-back ride. There is lots to see from Euclid Beach Park (on the East Side) to Edgewater Beach Park (on the West Side) as you ride through downtown Cleveland, Ohio. This route was pretty flat with no difficult hills at all. The bikeway itself was a combination of bike paths in and around the beach parks, on street bike lanes on Lakeshore Boulevard and Detroit Road, and on street riding in Bratenahl and Downtown Cleveland. The busiest street traffic was on the several blocks of street riding downtown.
I found the route to be well marked, particularly on the portions where you were riding on the street. Complaints made in previous reviews about the condition of the route are outdated as I found the trail surface to be in pretty good shape. Other review complaints about riding through a ghetto in the Manhattan Beach and North Collinwood neighborhoods seem exaggerated but are balanced out by the ride past the mansions in Bratenahl. Look for the Cleveland Script Signs on either end of the trail for great postcard-like photo opportunities.
For those interested in riding this route, I would definitely suggest lathering up with sunscreen because other than the 3 mile section through the tree lined streets of Bratenahl, you are always out in the open along the shore of Lake Erie.
I rode this trail during the first week of June 2017. I started this trail as I entered into the Rocky River Reservation when I crossed Bagley Road after having ridden the All-Purpose Trail through the entirety of the Mill Stream Run Reservation. The trail continues to follow the main road through the park -- the Valley Parkway. I would call this trail "The Trail of Bridges," as cross over the Rocky River numerous times and you pass under many others as you follow the Rocky River on its way to Lake Erie.
As you head north you are descending most of the way along this route, and climbing on your return. For the most part the slope is very gradual with just a few short steep climbs on the return trip.
For me, the most disappointing thing about this trail is that it doesn't make it all the way to the shores of Lake Erie. The trail ends at the Emerald Necklace Marina under the Detroit Road Bridge. It appears that from here toward the lake the steep sides of the valley prevent a trail from being developed. There may be a way of reaching the Lake Erie shore if you take the bike route out of the Rocky River Valley either at Rockcliff Drive or at the marina using the Scenic Park Loop Trail. In either case, you're going to have a good climb out of the valley and then you will have to bike along U.S. Highway 20, which I was unwilling to do as I am not familiar with the area, nor the amount of traffic along that route.
I rode this trail in early June of 2017. This trail is approximately 9 miles long. I started at a parking lot just west of Edgerton Road and rode out to Edgerton and then northwest back through this Cleveland Metropark until it crosses Bagley Road where it continues on in the Rocky River Reservation. As mentioned by other reviewers this trail follows the main road through the park — the Valley Parkway. There were many bikers and pedestrians using the trail so at times maintaining a decent speed was difficult. I could see and understand why many cyclists prefer to ride on the road. I enjoyed the shade the trees along the trail provided, although on the return trip, the position of the sun was such that there was not as much sun protection. This trail follows the Rocky River as it heads north toward Lake Erie, though you don't see much of the river on this trail. Starting where I did, you are descending most of the way, and climbing on your return. For the most part the slope is very gradual with just a few short steep climbs on the return trip.
I rode this trail in May of 2017. This trail connects the last two remaining Kettle Lakes or "glacial potholes" that were formed from the melting of large chunks of glacial ice as the glaciers retreated at the end of the last ice age found in northeast Ohio. These lakes and the surrounding marshes provide habitat for a wide variety of animals, birds, plants and trees. They are thriving ecosystems that thankfully the Cleveland Metroparks have chosen to preserve. This is an interesting little trail as the wetlands are quite wild, yet you pass right by a large hospital and commercial area as well end up near Cleveland Hopkins International Airport when you reach Lake Abram. There are several observation posts along the trail where high-powered telescopes or binoculars are available to search for wildlife. I bet this is an interesting area at dawn and dusk each day.
Big Creek Reservation All Purpose Trail is one of the standard multi-use trails you will find in the Cleveland area MetroParks. The Cleveland MetroParks form what is known as the Emerald Necklace around Cleveland.
This particular trail goes from Parma, OH to just North of Strongsville, OH. This is mostly a connector route that leads from a small park in Parma to larger MetroParks to the southwest that make up the Emerald Necklace. Many of the area's MetroParks are connected by thin slivers of park roads that give one the impression that you have really never left a Metropark.
This particular path traveled down the center of a boulevard called the Big Creek Parkway. While you bike down this sliver of green, the road is on either side of you with homes facing the green space while not having to view the homes on the other side. This trail was fairly flat unlike many of the MetroParks on Cleveland's Eastside that seem to be centered around rivers and creeks at the bottom of ravines or valleys. This path crosses six very busy streets but crosswalk signals stop traffic for riders and walkers to cross safely. If you're looking to race down this path, look for another trail.
This trail is 8 miles long and ends when it connects to Valley Parkway All Purpose Trail in Mill Stream Run Reservation MetroPark. At Milepost 6.5 you arrive at Lake Isaac and can connect to the start of the Lake to Lake Trail.
Back in May 2017 I rode the Bridgeway and Steel Mill Trails in Elyria, Ohio. While TrailLink lists these as separate trails, I view them as one continuous trail. On this out and back ride I traveled a little over 12.5 miles. If you started at the Day's Dam Picnic area and rode just the Steel Mill Trail you'd have a round trip of about 4 miles (currently). These trails are multi-use trails found in the Black River Reservation of the Lorain County Metropark System. I spoke with a Park Ranger who said that the Steel Mill Trail will eventually connect into Cromwell Park on the north end. I found this short trail interesting as you view the contrast between the U.S. Steel Mill on one side of the Black River to the almost park like setting on the opposite side. The difference will only be more apparent when the trail is extended into Cromwell Park. It would be nice if a route or bike line could be extended out of Cromwell Park up to the shores of Lake Erie.
Back in May 2017 I rode the Bridgeway and Steel Mill Trails in Elyria, Ohio. While TrailLink lists these as separate trails, I view them as one continuous trail. On this out and back ride I traveled a little over 12.5 miles. These trails are multi-use trails found in the Black River Reservation of the Lorain County Metropark System. I spoke with a Park Ranger who said that the Steel Mill Trail will eventually connect into Cromwell Park on the north end. To the south, the Bridgeway Trail follows Ford Road out of High Meadows Section of the Black River Reservation to Midway Blvd., and then heads south along wide sidewalks of West River Road N, to Gateway Blvd. S to eventually W. 2nd Street where a cyclist can pick up the North Coast Inland Trail. While this part of the Bridgeway Trail exists, and is well-signed along the route, it crosses through the very heavily trafficked commercial and retail area of Midway Mall. I chose not to ride this section. I think you'd be better off strapping your bike to the back of the car and traveling the 3 or so miles to the North Coast Inland Trail if you want to make that connection.
In May of 2017 I put in 30.3 miles riding out and back on the Lorain County section of the North Coast Inland Trail from the Gateway trailhead in Elyria to 1.5 miles west of Kipton, OH. In Elyria, the trail extends beyond the Gateway trailhead up to the Black River Reservation Metropark. However, I would suggest that this section could be tricky as traffic will be heavy around the commercial/retail area near Midway Mall. The trail itself is a wide paved path in good shape except for the last 1.5 miles, which starting at Baird Road switches to medium sized limestone gravel -- probably not a good idea for skinny-tired bikes. West of Kipton the trail ends and you would have to ride the roads to reach the next completed section. Bring sunscreen with you as the further west you go the more open the trail becomes as you get into farming country.
According to ohiobikeways.net this 15 mile section is part of the 67.5 miles of trail currently open. When completely done this trail will stretch from Elyria to Toledo, OH and will cover about 270 miles making it probably the penultimate East-West trail in Ohio.
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